Coral lily, Small-leaved lily
Lilium pumilum

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

A bulb plant and herb. The bulb is oval and 2-3 cm across. The scales are white. It grows 25-60 cm high and 15-20 cm wide. It roots from the stem. The leaves are scattered near the middle of the stem. The leaf blade is 3.5-9 cm long by 1.5-3 cm wide. The flowers are nodding. There can be 30 on a stem. They are vivid scarlet. Some have black spots at the centre. They are scented. The fruit is a capsule which is oblong and 2 cm long by 1.2-1.8 cm wide.

There are about 100 Lilium species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It cannot tolerate lime. In China it grows in forest margins and grassy slopes between 400-2600 m altitude in N China. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Inner Mongolia.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia, Tasmania, Tibet

How it is used for food

The bulbs are eaten and used in soup and also used in medicine. The flowers are fried.

The bulbs are eaten.

Edible parts

Root, bulb, flowers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bai he, Hong hua zi, Mountain red, Saralang, Saralang huwar, Shan dan, Shandandan, Xiye Baihe, Sarana

Synonyms

Lilium potaninii Vrishez; Lilium pumilim var. potaninii (Vrishez) Y.Z.Zhao; Lilium sinensium Gandoger; Lilium tenuifolium Fischer ex Hooker;